Liberia: IOM Introduces Local Migration Governance Indicators to Stakeholders in Ganta
The International Organization on Migration has introduced stakeholders in Ganta City to the local Migration Governance Indicators, which call for the care and protection of migrants.
In a one-day multi-stakeholders meeting held in Ganta on November 7, 2023, the IOM Chief of Mission said that in 2015, the IOM developed the Migration Governance Framework to assist member states in defining their well – managed migration policies at both national and local levels.
“To help member states understand how to apply this framework in practice, IOM, in partnership with the Economist Intelligence Unit, decided to develop the Migration Governance Indicators in 2016,” said Chief of Mission Serge Lenovo.
“MGI is a set of indicators that offers insights into the types of policies that can be implemented to adhere to and achieve the principles and objectives outlined in the Migration Governance Framework,” he said.
Mr. Serge explained that the program serves as a valuable tool in supporting governments in evaluating the comprehensiveness of their migration policies as well as identifying gaps and areas that could be strengthened.
“Through the MGI, governments can assess their policies effectively and work towards enhancing their migration governance strategies,” he explained.
Mr. Lenovo noted that as of now, MGI is being utilized by 111 national governments worldwide, spanning across various regions, where many local authorities have also adopted the MGI to enhance their migration governance policies and practices.
Accordingly, in Liberia, substantial progress has been made by conducting the national MGI process, resulting in the publication of the country’s first Migration Governance Indicators In 2022.
“Notably,” he said, “at the local level, the City of Monrovia successfully concluded its local MGI process in August 2023, further enhancing our understanding of migration governance within the city.”
He explained that Ganta City Corporation, recognizing the significance of this process, expressed interest in collaborating with IOM, becoming the second city to embark on the transformative journey.
Ganta City, a major commercial hub in Nimba, plays a pivotal role in trade and commerce, linking Liberia with Guinea and Côte d’Ivoire.
Lenovo added that migration is a complex and interconnected phenomenon that knows no boundaries and recognizes that it is crucial to work collaboratively not only within Liberia, but also across the border, undertaking the MGI framework in Nzerekore.
However, one of the stakeholders, representing the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Mr. Numene B. Reeves, Assistant Director, Planning, Development and Coordination explained that the issue of the MGI is all about how people gravitate toward opportunity.
He said migrants gravitate toward places of opportunity, where they move to seek opportunities of business and jobs. With Ganta being so strategic to business, the flow of migrants will be high.
The City Mayor Amos Suah and the political officer Prince Yates vowed to work with the IOM in making sure migrants are fully addressed in accordance with the indicators.
Attendees included representatives from the Gender Ministry local office, Liberia Immigration Service (LIS), Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), Liberia National Police (LNP), Ministry of Education (MoE), Ganta City Authority, the Nimba County Superintendent, National Social Security Corporation (NASSCORP), Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), CSOs, Labor Ministry, Students, Migrants representative, LRA and the office of Disaster Management in Nimba.
The Sustainable Development Goals section 10.7, calls to facilitate an orderly, safe, regular and Responsible Migration and mobility of people.